Posts Tagged movie news

Will Smith is reportedly considering starring in the “Independence Day” sequel. He played U.S. Marine Corps pilot Captain Steven Hiller in the 1996 sci-fi film.

Director Roland Emmerich told Digital Spy.com: “I sometimes say no, Will Smith will not be in it because he didn’t want to do it at first. Now we have a meeting planned, we want to talk about it again. Anything can happen.”

Emmerich wanted to cast some familiar faces from the original movie in the sequel, but prior to the release of Smith’s latest film “After Earth” Emmerich said the actor was “too expensive” to employ.

The director previously said: “Will Smith can not come back because he’s too expensive, but he’d also be too much of a marquee name.

“We have like maybe half of the people that you know would know from the first film (in the script) and the other half people who are new.”

Bill Pullman, who played President Thomas J. Whitmore, and Jeff Goldblum, who was computer expert David Levinson, are returning for the sequel.

“Independence Day” made $800 million worldwide in 1996. Smith’s “After Earth,” released in May 2013, made a disappointing $243 million internationally.

The highly anticipated royal biopic Diana starring Naomi Watts has come under fire from movie critics in Britain, who have branded the motion picture “fabulously awful,” “tedious” and “cheap.”

The 44 year-old actress takes on the title role of Diana, Princess of Wales in the film, which premiered in the on Thursday night and portrays the late royal in the last years of her life before her death in a car crash in Paris, France in 1997.

Nonetheless, the movie has received a slew of scathing reviews from Britain’s critics in the aftermath of the premiere, with many questioning the movie’s historical accuracy and even slamming the story as a “soap opera” re-imagining of the princess’ life.

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave Diana just one star out of a possible five and heavily criticized the film, writing, “Poor Princess Diana. I hesitate to use the term ‘car crash cinema’. But the awful truth is that, 16 years after that terrible day in 1997, she has died another awful death… The movie isn’t so much Mills & Boon as a horrendous Fifty Shades of Grey with the S&M sex taken out – and replaced with paparazzi intrusion and misunderstood charity work… The moment anyone, anyone at all, opens their mouth we are in TV-movie-land, soap-land.”

The Daily Telegraph‘s David Gritten concurs, singling out the movie’s references to the Paris car crash as a “redundant piece of lurid sensationalism,” adding of the film, “What’s the point of Diana? It’s hardly fascinating. It doesn’t offer new facts about the Princess’s life. And it certainly doesn’t explain her complexity or contradictions. That would take a different, better film altogether.”

David Edwards of the Daily Mirror adds, “Diana can only be described as a fabulously awful film. The Queen of Hearts has been recast as a sad-sack singleton that even Bridget Jones would cross the street to avoid… The film’s a cheap and cheerless effort… Director Oliver Hirschbiegel… should know better… Despite a peroxide hair-job, (Watts) looks, sounds and acts nothing like the Princess of Wales. Wesley Snipes in a blonde wig would be more convincing.”

Christopher Tookey of the Daily Mail also gave the film just one star out of five, branding it “tedious”, “slow” and “terribly, terribly dull”.

The film has also been criticized by the princess’ former lover Dr. Hasnat Khan, who is played by Lost star Naveen Andrews onscreen.

He insists the story is based on “hypotheses and gossip” and is “completely wrong.”

Ryan Gosling and Shailene Woodley reportedly turned down “Fifty Shades of Grey.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, they are just two of the stars who declined playing Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in the big screen-adaptation of E.L. James’ best-selling erotic book.

Gosling purportedly turned down the part early on in the casting process because he wasn’t interested in the role. Another actor, Garrett Hedlund, bowed out because he “couldn’t connect with the character.”

Woodley was interested in playing Anastasia; however, a scheduling conflict tied up with her promotional duties for upcoming film “Divergent” thwarted her plans to accept the role.

Alicia Vikander, Imogen Poots and Elizabeth Olsen were also considered for the part.

In the end, director Sam Taylor-Johnson chose “Sons of Anarchy” star Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson – daughter of Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson – to play the wealthy man and college student who start a bondage relationship.

Many fans are displeased with the casting, and an online petition was created on Change.org to find new leads for the upcoming film. It opens in theaters in August 2014.

Warner Bros. has stunned the moviegoing public by casting Ben Affleck as the next Batman.

The Academy Award winning actor and director will don the cowl and replace Christian Bale, who said previously he was done playing the DC Comics legend after starring in three films.

Affleck’s first appearance as Bruce Wayne as his crime fighting alter ego will be in 2015, when he will appear alongside Henry Cavill in the Man of Steel sequel, a Batman-Superman feature. Zack Snyder is set to direct.

“We knew we needed an extraordinary actor to take on one of DC Comics’ most enduringly popular Super Heroes, and Ben Affleck certainly fits that bill, and then some. His outstanding career is a testament to his talent and we know he and Zack will bring new dimension to the duality of this character,” Warner Bros. president of creative development Greg Silverman said in a statement that announced the casting news.

Snyder said, “Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”

It was previously believed a lesser-known actor would take over of Christian Bale. A rumored list included Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Joe Manganiello, Richard Armitage, Max Martini, and Matthew Goode.

This isn’t the first time Affleck tried on some superhero tights. He played Daredevil to mixed reviews and Superman portrayer George Reeves in Hollywoodland.

Funnyman Fred Armisen is to direct a new Kings Of Leon concert movie for the American Express Unstaged series.

The former Saturday Night Live star and his team will capture the Sex on Fire rockers onstage during their upcoming Shepherd’s Bush Empire gig in London on August 9th.

It will be streamed live by YouTube.com and Vevo.com.

The filmed concert will be the 13th to feature as part of the American Express Unstaged initiative, which teams top music acts with quirky directors – Steve Buscemi most recently directed a Vampire Weekend gig, while David Lynch took charge of a Duran Duran show in 2011.

The series began in 2010 when Terry Gilliam directed an Arcade Fire streamed set in New York City.

Late last night into the wee hours of the morning the official post-Oscar party took place. This is the infamous and notorious Governors Ball, held at The Hollywood Highland Center where the Oscar winners, nominees, attendees and all other invited guests were drinking, dancing, chatting, and having a grand old time. Some of the highlights of the evening and there were many, included celebs congratulating each other, discussing new projects and roles and sharing stories about cookouts gone bad, and the latest shenanigans that their children got into.

Some of these included: stars such as Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, Jamie Fox, Samuel L. Jackson all celebrating Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar win for best Original Screen Play. Denzel Washington sharing stories with Best Supporting actor winner Christoph Waltz. Channing Tatum showing Robert Downy Jr. a dance move or two from his dancing days ala “Magic Mike” as well as dancing on stage with Charlize Theron. Jennifer Lawrence in all her glory from winning an Oscar for Best Actress, and talking about how nervous she was to Zoe Saldana and Kevin Navayne. Oscar winner Halle Berry, and Kristen Chenoweth discussing Kristen’s hosting and closing duties for ABC. Salma Hayek, giving a hi-five to 9 year Oscar nominee Quvenzhan Wallis.

All in all a great night was had for both the winners and nominees, as all of Hollywood celebrated their biggest night of the year in Hollywood fashion. Big, bold and beautiful.